At Mind By Design®, we pride ourselves in maintaining excellence in the standard of our psychological assessments for a wide range of areas. Psychological assessments offer enormous power to clinicians and patients. A Psychological Assessment involves the planned use of interviews (generally semi-structured) and specific psychometric assessments (tests) to answer questions highlighted in a referral. Questions are typically around extracting complex diagnoses, helping clarify symptoms/coping style/personality, or, specifying the types of therapy and therapist most likely to assist the client. The components all play a specific role. The interview helps define the current situation/problems and important elements of personal history. It also engages the patient in the assessment process. The tests themselves act as both lens and lever: getting a unique perspective on relevant issues while also highlighting where and how therapy probably needs to be focused. In many ways, psychological testing and assessment are similar to medical tests. If a patient has physical symptoms, a primary care provider may order X-rays or blood tests to understand what's causing those symptoms. The results of the tests will help inform and develop a treatment plan.

 

Psychological evaluations serve the same purpose. Psychologists use tests and other assessment tools to measure and observe a client's behavior to arrive at a diagnosis and guide treatment (APA.org).